HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.C.R. NO.

124

TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2002

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 
   


HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

REQUESTING THE OFFICE OF PLANNING TO CONVENE A FOOD SECURITY TASK FORCE TO DEVELOP AN ACTION PLAN TO ENHANCE FOOD SECURITY IN HAWAII.

 

 

WHEREAS, food security is defined as the access by all people at all times to enough food for an active, healthy life and includes, at a minimum, the:

(1) Ready availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods; and

(2) Assured ability to acquire suitable foods in socially acceptable ways (e.g., without resorting to emergency food supplies, scavenging for food, or other coping strategies); and

WHEREAS, in its annual food security survey, the United States Department of Agriculture estimates that 31 million people, including 12 million children, across the nation do not have access to enough food to meet their basic needs; and

WHEREAS, in 1999-2000, one of every five Hawaii residents (i.e., approximately 221,000 people) lived in a household lacking food security; and

WHEREAS, lack of food security affects many households ineligible for federal assistance; for example, the food stamp program aided only twenty-five percent of households in Hawaii without food security during 1999–2000; and

WHEREAS, lack of food security in Hawaii is often associated with obesity, diabetes, asthma, and poor mental and physical health; and

WHEREAS, a need exists to develop a greater vision, better plans, and improved leadership to ensure more effectively that Hawaii residents have access to enough food to meet basic needs; and

WHEREAS, there are available federally-funded food programs, collaborative efforts at the local level, and related information that have received only minimal attention yet could potentially increase food security; and

WHEREAS, the Hawaii Together, Human Services Committee is working towards submitting a "Community Food Security Plan, 2002" and is prepared to provide funding to initiate the Food Security Task Force (Task Force); now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2002, the Senate concurring, that the Office of Planning is requested to convene a Task Force to examine and develop an action plan that more effectively and reliably improves food security in Hawaii; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Task Force include representatives from:

(1) The retail food industry;

(2) The wholesale food industry;

(3) Charitable food providers;

(4) Hunger research groups;

(5) Charitable food transport organizations;

(6) Charitable food communication organizations;

(7) Federally-funded food assistance programs; and

(8) Early-childhood groups; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Task Force also include the:

(1) Director of the Office of Planning;

(2) Director of Health;

(3) Director of Human Services;

(4) Chairperson of the Board of Agriculture;

(5) Superintendent of Education; and

(6) Dean of the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources at the University of Hawaii;

or their designated representatives; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Task Force examine the best possible ways to ensure food security for Hawaii's people; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Office of Planning report the findings and recommendations of the Task Force to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2003; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a certified copy of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Director of the Office of Planning.

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Food Security Task Force